SPA Modeler

BlackSheep214 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 30, 2026 5:24 pm Actually you’re close; it’s actually called RAF Grey Green but they didn’t use it until 1940 on. It’s a color I use on my WW2 British aircraft interiors. AK Interactive has RAF Grey Green paint. Prior to 1940, they were yellowish beige green or “apple green”.

https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagorie ... =9&man=AKI

Where did you get that information Tom? Doing some google search on the history of the color shows it first introduced in 1937, although it did not become standardized until 1940.

Quoting Edgar Brooks in Large Scale Planes:

“All of the references, that I've seen, say that a/c, issued to the RAF, came straight from U.S. stock, so their cockpits would have been identical to the usual USAAF airframes. There is, somewhere, an article, specifying that this was especially true of early P-51s.

Grey-green was in use before WWII; the Hart, in the RAF Museum, has the colour, in its cockpit area, as does the Shuttleworth Gladiator. The original spec., for K5054, advocated the use of a grey-green for internal areas.
Can I insert a small word, of caution, here, please? I matched the real colour to a chip, in the very first issue of "The Colour System." I did not match it to the paint in the tin, and at least one fellow modeller says that it differs, now, from that chip. This wouldn't be the first time that this (or something similar) has happened. Back in the days of Humbrol Authentics, complaints, about the actual colour being nothing like the real thing, became rife, and it was found that the operative was matching each batch to a sample, taken from the previous batch, not the master, consequently the paint shade had drifted.”

Quoting Edgar Brooks within an answer from Barracuda Studios “Ready Room” online:

“I had several conversations with Edgar Brooks on this topic, including sharing of images. What became apparent is that Spitfire cockpits, up until they were painted black, were finished in a pale grey green, but it was neither MAP Grey Green, nor Eau-de-Nil. Edgar was convinced that Humbrol Hu 90 Beige Green had been specifically formulated for Spitfire cockpits when the 1/24 Spitfire I was released.”

Stikpusher wrote: ↑Sat Jan 31, 2026 5:06 pm

BlackSheep214 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 30, 2026 5:24 pm Actually you’re close; it’s actually called RAF Grey Green but they didn’t use it until 1940 on. It’s a color I use on my WW2 British aircraft interiors. AK Interactive has RAF Grey Green paint. Prior to 1940, they were yellowish beige green or “apple green”.

https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagorie ... =9&man=AKI

Where did you get that information Tom? Doing some google search on the history of the color shows it first introduced in 1937, although it did not become standardized until 1940.

I did two Google searches. First I typed in:

early Spitfire cockpit color

Then I narrowed down the search using:

early Spitfire mk.1 cockpit color

Both info pulled up on AI Overview

Well it's all very interesting I have say - as I said, you learn something new every day.

But it's also pretty much academic if I'm honest - you can see so little of the cockpit with a pilot and the canopy buttoned up you could probably paint the interior pink and nobody would notice

I should point out I've built well over 30 Spitfires at this point...

Good stuff. Bruce, what you pulled up was similar to what I found in my web search. Whenever I get around to building my 1940 Spitfires, I’ll see what I can come up with for the lighter shade. I still have a couple Hawker Furies and a Gladiator to build as well. I do like finding out about variety in cockpit colors.

Stikpusher wrote: ↑Sat Jan 31, 2026 10:48 pm Good stuff. Bruce, what you pulled up was similar to what I found in my web search. Whenever I get around to building my 1940 Spitfires, I’ll see what I can come up with for the lighter shade. I still have a couple Hawker Furies and a Gladiator to build as well. I do like finding out about variety in cockpit colors.

I thought that I might better pics of the scratch-built cockpit in my Lindberg (ex-Impact) Fury I but this is the best I've got. One of my Fernando Pinto resin 1/24 car kits box fell on that Fury from about two shelves above. The impact knocked off every piece of rigging and broke one wing strut. I was amazed that the damage was limited to that. But, I do think that the color might be close to correct.







I was able to collect all the bits of guitar string wire that made up the rigging. I really should try to get the old girl back together!

Gary! I have Fernando’s wheels!!



Why not build a kit here? I’d love to see his work in your hands!

Guitar strings?! Now thats a cracking great idea. What size do you recommend. I have a 1/32 scale Sopwith Camel in my stash. This may be the thing I should use for rigging biplanes.

What and how did you use guitar strings to attach them to their rigging points?